If your experience with Linux is mostly on the desktop or server side, Alpine might just seem like another name in the Linux ecosystem. But in the world of containerization, it is a cornerstone.
Despite its enormous importance, distribution has mostly relied on support from a small group of sponsors. But that is about to change because Alpine Linux has officially joined Open Collective due to a growing desire to spread financial responsibility across a broader base.
For those unfamiliar, it is a platform widely used by open-source software projects that helps communities and other initiatives raise and manage funding transparently. It allows groups to collect recurring or one-time donations from individuals and organizations while providing an open ledger for financial transparency.
By partnering with Open Collective, Alpine aims to diversify its sources of financial support and mitigate the potential risks associated with relying on just a handful of donors.
Moreover, it provides a formal and transparent mechanism for individuals, corporations, and organizations to contribute to Alpine Linux’s infrastructure—a feature that many community members have requested over the past several years.
Through Open Collective, Alpine Linux will direct all funds toward critical infrastructure-related expenses, including servers, storage, and bandwidth. According to the announcement, no individual developer or contributor will receive direct compensation from these donations.
However, the Alpine Linux team has made it clear that the funding strategy may change in the future, particularly if there is a need to support project contributors directly. In that event, the community will receive timely and transparent updates.
If you are interested in supporting Alpine Linux, head over to its Open Collective page. For more information, see the announcement.
